Doctoral fellow

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people and hosting more than 50.000 students, it is active in education and research, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

The host lab at UGent focuses on reconstructing environmental conditions and the evolution of life from ancient Palaeozoic times to the current Anthropocene. The group currently includes a motivated cohort of PhD students, MSc students and postdocs working on various aspects of (micro)palaeontology, which will constitute a rich and exciting working environment for the successful candidate.
https://www.ugent.be/we/geologie/en/research/organization/palaeontology-and-palaeo-environments
https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_ugent/

YOUR TASKS

Applications are invited for a fully funded four-year PhD researcher position at the interface between (bio)stratigraphy, palaeontology (chitinozoans and/or graptolites), teratology and geochemistry during intervals dominated by biogeochemical upheaval. More specifically, the focus will be on chitinozoan biostratigraphy (alongside graptolite biostratigraphy if the candidate can bring the highly-sought hands-on experience with this group to the table), integrating fossil teratology as a means of ground-truthing ocean geochemistry, C-isotope geochemistry and aspects of palaeoceanographic change during the episodes of environmental turmoil of the Late Ordovician, culminating in the Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) Mass Extinction.

The PhD candidate will be based at UGent (Belgium), undertaking various research visits to our partner institutes in Europe, Canada and/or the USA. He/she will join a larger team of fellow PhD-candidates working on related topics at UGent. Thijs Vandenbroucke is the local supervisor, and the candidate will integrate a research project co-led by Appy Sluijs (UUtrecht) and Poul Emsbo (USGS), while collaborating with others in our wide network.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:

The position predominantly focusses on research; the primary objective of the PhD researcher will be to conduct the specified programme of research. However, the position will also be considered as a period of training and career development, and will also enable the candidate: 

• to engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the PI or University in order to develop research skills and competencies; 
• to engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which they are engaged, as directed by, with the support of, and under the supervision of the PIs; 
• to become efficient within the publication process; 
• to acquire generic and transferable skills (including funding acquisition, project management and postgraduate mentoring/supervision); 
• to engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group. 

The researcher will be mentored by the consortium of PIs. It is expected that a researcher will spend not more than 4 years at the PhD level.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The successful candidate will provide a track record demonstrating evidence that they meet the following essential criteria:

• Excellent scholarly results obtained during an MSc in Geology, Earth Sciences, Paleobiology, Palaeontology, or an equivalent degree in related fields pertinent to the research project. MSc degree required at the start of the appointment. 
• Excellent analytical and laboratory skills 
• Ability to work as part of a(n international) team combined with an ability to manage tasks independently 
• Excellent problem solving skills 
• Excellent communication skills, particularly in English; knowledge of Dutch will be considered a bonus 
• Keen to take on a part of our practical teaching (preferably in Dutch, though this is not a strict language requirement) 
• Strongly motivated and ambitious attitude 
• Having a proven track record of scientific publishing will be an important criterion during selection 
• Having experience with chitinozoan or graptolite research will be considered an important bonus during selection 
• Ability to start the position at relatively short notice 
• Willing to explore parallel funding opportunities 

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

The PhD-candidate will be trained in analytical techniques including optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and geochemical analyses. In addition to analytical research skills, the successful candidate will have opportunities to undertake training in transferable skills, to gain experience in mentorship, and to participate in fieldwork. The PhD Researcher will work closely with the PIs and other members of the team.

The PhD-candidate will join the team at an exciting time, as part of a major expansion of our studies of new causative models for the Ordovician-Silurian biogeochemical events. The PIs and their teams represent a wide range of expertise for the applicant to drawn on. The successful candidate will benefit from the PI’s commitment to their career development and the joint PI’s extensive global network of collaborators.

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. 
• Your contract will start late summer or early fall of 2026. 
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales 
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits . 

INTERESTED?

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Prof. Thijs Vandenbroucke, Department of Geology, UGent. Email: thijs.vandenbroucke@ugent.be. 
We are inviting applications as soon as possible. The position will remain open until filled. Candidates should apply, in confidence, by submitting one single, combined application document to Thijs.vandenbroucke@ugent.be as soon as possible and at the very latest on Monday, 6th April 2026.

This application should contain the following items, merged into a single .pdf document:

• Your CV 
• The contact details of two referees (actual letters of support are not required at this stage) 
• A copy of your diplomas and the full transcripts of the scores/results you have obtained during your degree(s); we strongly advise that you indicate your position in the cohort of students graduated the degree in your graduation year, if possible (note that this is an indicative criterion only) 

In addition, your e-mail also HAS TO contain a second file. This is an .xlsx file and is a summary of your past achievements we need you to complete and return, using the MS Excel template that can be downloaded here: https://users.ugent.be/~tvdenbro/Eval_Grid_PhD.xlsx

Next to these two obligatory files, your e-mail can optionally also include, in separate files, pdf.-copies of your (formally published!) articles, if you have already published research papers.

We reserve the right to reject applications that are incomplete or do not accurately follow these guidelines immediately, and to accept applications beyond the deadline if no successful candidates have been selected yet.

Interviews will be scheduled as soon as interesting applications arrive. Initial interviews will normally be held via videoconferencing. Only applicants who have submitted an eligible application will be contacted about the result of their application.

Ghent University is an equal opportunities employer (https://www.ugent.be/prospect/en)